1933 Invicta S-Type Low Chassis

Invicta was founded by motor engineer and former racer, Captain Noel Macklin in 1924 and was backed by Oliver Lyle, of the famous sugar family.

Macklin insisted that the quality of Invicta cars were to be on the same level as Rolls-Royce and rival the performance of Bentley. Invicta became the only other British car besides Rolls-Royce to have a three-year chassis guarantee.

Launched in 1930 at the London Motor Show held at Olympia, the 4 ½ Litre S-type featured an ‘under-slung’ chassis, which achieved a much lower centre of gravity by positioning the axles above the frame rails instead of below as was normal practice at the time. The car was powered by the reliable 4 ½ Litre Meadows.

The Invicta’s reputation was greatly enhanced when Donald Healey won the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally in 1931 in an S Type, a model that was just as famous for its build quality as its performance.

This Invicta was ordered new by Bill Froggart and registered on the 12th April 1933. The coachwork by Corsica Coachworks, then located on Corsica Street, Highbury, a truly bespoke coachbuilder who would only produce short runs of a particular shape.

The car was with us here at Clark and Carter at the start of 2020 and underwent many refurbishments to interior components. All polished wood and wood capping’s have been refinished, whilst all seat frames and mechanisms have been refurbished and fitted to new wooden floors. A traditional English leather in a timeless colour was chosen to refinish the interior with complimentary leather-bound carpets. A unique styling feature of the Invicta is the newly trimmed hood and refurbished hood frame which folds down flat to give a distinctive line that follows from the tops of the doors to the rear of the car. This is completed with a bespoke three-piece all-weather tonneau manufactured to suit the sporty exterior.

We are truly humbled to have been given the opportunity to work on such a rare and prestigious car.